Jack Branning was talked out of doing a runner with his kids in tonight’s EastEnders, narrowly escaping getting into very big trouble with the law.

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Blabbermouth Amy dobbed her dad in to grandma Dot when she let slip he was planning to take them all somewhere very far away so Charlie Cotton couldn’t get his hands on baby Matthew.

Dot begged her stepson to see sense, but he was having none of it. Paying a visit to dead wife Ronnie’s grave to say goodbye, grieving Jack then packed the passports and prepared to flee the country with the kids in a desperate attempt to keep his family together.

But he was stopped in his tracks by Max, after Dot tipped off the younger Branning about what his brother was planning. Convincing Jack his plan was a terrible idea and he could end up going to prison and losing everything, Max’s words – along with support from a passing Sharon Mitchell – eventually got through and the ex-copper crumbled as he begrudgingly agreed to stay put.

It’s not over yet though, as next week Jack’s nightmare continues. On Monday, Charlie reveals he’s told social services he intends to apply for residency of Matthew, and the following day Jack takes drastic action as he concocts another plan to get rid of his rival…

Thursday’s episode sees Max cotton on to Jack’s scheme and attempt to reason with him, while an unexpected arrival next Friday leaves Jack shocked as the pressure mounts.

Max’s motives continue to be cloudy, as one minute he’s pulling the strings to ruin everything for Jack and deliberately lead him into trouble, and the next he’s stopping him fleeing the country. Will next week’s developments shed more light on Max’s master plan?

Watch a 60-second rundown of next week’s episodes of EastEnders below.

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